Perpetrators of child abuse

A perpetrator is the person who is responsible for the abuse or neglect of a child (Hornor & Zeno, 2018).

Number of child abuse victims in the United States in 2020, by perpetrator relationship.

In the US, perpetrators of child abuse are most likely to be parents of the child. The chart presents statistics of the number of child abusers in accordance with their relationship to the child.

Number of perpetrators in child abuse cases in the United States in 2020, by age

In 2020, most perpetrators in child abuse cases in the United States were between the ages of 25 and 34 years old, with 197,407 perpetrators. The age of perpetrators after the age of 44 diminishes.

• More than four-fifths (83.4%) of perpetrators were between the ages of 18 and 44 years.
• More than one-half (53.7%) of perpetrators were women, 45.3 percent of perpetrators were men, and 1.0 percent were of unknown sex.
• Perpetrators were found to be White (49.8), African-American (20.0%), or Hispanic (18.8%)
• 40.3% of victims were maltreated by a mother
• 21.7% of victims were maltreated by a father
• 13.4% of victims were maltreated by a known perpetrator who was not the child’s parent.
  • Child Daycare Provider - 0.3%
  • Foster Parent - 0.2%
  • Friend and Neighbor - 0.8%
  • Group Home and Residential Facility Staff 0.2%
  • Other Professional - 0.2%
  • Partner of Parent (Female) - 0.3%
  • Partner of Parent (Male) - 2.7%
  • Relative (Female) - 1.6%
  • Relative (Male) - 3.0%
• More than three quarters (78.0%) of child fatalities involved at least one parent (Child maltreatment, 2016).

NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT DATA SYSTEM - Caregiver Risk Factors

• Alcohol Abuse - Caregiver's compulsive use of alcohol that is not of a temporary nature, includes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and exposure to alcohol during pregnancy..
• Drug Abuse - Caregiver's compulsive use of drugs that is not of a temporary nature, includes infants exposed to drugs during pregnancy.
• Intellectual Disability - Caregiver's clinically diagnosed condition of significantly less than average general cognitive and motor functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior that adversely affect socialization and learning.
• Emotional Disturbance - Caregiver's clinically diagnosed condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree:
  • an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships,
  • inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances
  • a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal problems.
  • The diagnosis is based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the most recent edition of DSM). The term includes schizophrenia and autism.
• Visually or Hearing Impaired - Caregiver's clinically diagnosed condition related to a visual impairment or permanent or fluctuating hearing or speech impairment that may significantly affect functioning or development.
• Learning Disability - Caregiver's clinically diagnosed disorder in basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to use mathematical calculations. The term includes conditions such as perceptual disability, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
• Physically Disabled - Caregiver's clinically diagnosed physical condition that adversely affects day to day motor functioning, such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, orthopedic impairments, and other physical disabilities.
• Medical condition other than intellectual disability, visual or hearing impairment, physical disability, or being emotionally disturbed that significantly affects functioning or development or that requires special medical care such as chronic illnesses. Included are caregivers diagnosed as HIV positive or with AIDS.
• Domestic Violence incidents of inter-spousal physical or emotional abuse perpetrated by one of the spouses or parent figures upon the other spouse or parent figure in the child's home environment.
• Inadequate Housing is a risk factor related to substandard, overcrowded, or unsafe housing conditions, including homelessness.
• Financial Problem is a risk factor related to the family's inability to provide sufficient financial resources to meet minimum needs.

Reference

Hornor, G. & Zeno, R. (2018). Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrators: What Forensic Nurses Need to Know. J. Forensic Nurs. 14(4), 206-213.

NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT DATA SYSTEM (NCANDS) Child File Codebook National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System Implementation, Development, and Technical Support Contract Number HHSP233201200657G OMB No. 0980-0229 September 2015

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2018). Child maltreatment 2016. Available from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/child-maltreatment.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2022). Child Maltreatment 2020. Available from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/data-research/child-maltreatment.

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